CHINESE GAMBLING DEN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LV, Issue 16969, 1 October 1918, Page 3

CHINESE GAMBLING DEN.

TWO MEN PINED &m EACH.

FREQUENTERS FINED £5 AND £3. , Ties fcequsl to the police raid on theChinese gambling dan in Wakefield Street ' on Sunday was the appearance in the Police Court yesterday, before Mr. E. D. Mosley, S.M., of 40 Chinamen, who were, arrested. Fines totalling £307 were im-: posed. ) Fong Lim ploaded not guilty to keep-' ing the premises as a common gaminghouse, and said it was an eating-house,' where some of the men gambled " to pass the time." Plain-clothes Constable Knight said he had had tlie house under observation since May 15. When the place was raided on Sunday fan tan and haing gow were in. progress, and over £400 was seized from those in tlia bourse. The place was fitted up as a gambling den, and when the police entered there was a tush to put ■some pak-a-poo tickets under the copper, The police knew that many Chinamen who had saved enough mraey to return to China had gone to this place, lost all their money, and had had to return to their work as market gardeners. Most of those frequenting the placs wero working men, while others did ao'hu; 0 ' bat actingas agents for Chinese lefties in the city. The Wakefield Street house was the chief collecting place for the lotteries. Defendant was fined £100 and 15s costs. Ah Kit, who said Lis ' married name ' was Wang Tim, was thwged with assist/ ing in the mmagamta*. " The evidence showed that the police had seen defendant assisting ..by collecting fee 3, and in reality was a partner. Defondant said he was a laundryman, and visited the place only occasionally. He was fined £100 and 15s coats. Thirty-five of the men who were found in the house rcere then charged with hav-. ing been found in a common gaminghouse. Various excuses W6re given. Some said they had gone there for a meal, but the police evidence was that there was_no sign of a meal being prepared, except that") there was roast duck in the pantry. One saidhe had a "leeUe business, but bis excuse was considered too thin," as was also that'.t of another man'; who said ho had gone; there beoause "ho felt hungry." Another leaded that he was the "second cook,' * but ho was also convicted. Ton Yea and Lew Ming pleaded\thal they had gone to" the place for , subscriptions, w send the body of a dead friend back to China, and the charges against them were 'dismissed. .. Four, who nil' been? previ6usly con- .■; victed. were each fined; £5 and' 15s costs, and the remaining 29 Ware each fined £3 ! and 15a costs. Charges against Lum Jong, Harry Wong, and Cuarlie Chuck, of assisting in the management, were adjourned for a - W'iek. ' ': Fong Lim and Ah Kit asked to be sent, to gam in default of the £100 fines, but* the magistrate refused to fix an alternative. '-. Senior-Sergeant McNaihara said that the-' syndicate behind the men would pay thism £2 a week to stay in prison rather than, pay the fines.